Byron Bay Surfing

Byron Bay is mainland Australia's eastern tip, sticking out into the Pacific and attracting a wide range of curious visitors. Dolphins and sharks frequent the veritable array of long golden beaches and rocky headlands that have attracted surfers for almost half a century. From a sleepy coastal hippy town that encompassed the N.S.W North Coast vibe, Byron has mutated into a virtual city, attracting movie stars, property developers and hordes of backpackers. While there are some epic set-ups, a lack of decent size swell dictates conditions are fairly inconsistent, relying on summer cyclone swells or big winter south's to create waves worth remembering. Typically, shoulder high waves snap across the sandbanks in clean, small size swells, while bigger days see short, steep close-outs relying primarily on wind and tide to give rideable waves at the main beaches. It's these bigger days that get the handful of pointbreaks to rumble into life when locals descend from miles around. Byron Bay gained its popularity in the 60's as a stop on the ultimate road trip from Sydney to Noosa, at a time when 10ft mals would ideally fit the ruler-edged, leisurely right points that dot the coast.